Cost to Register a Car After Moving to Montana
Moving to Montanameans re-titling and re-registering your vehicle as a new resident — and usually transferring your license and passing any required inspection first. Here's the full cost and the order to do it in, computed from Montana's current fee schedule.
One-time costs when you arrive
- Title fee$12.00
- One-time total$12.00
Your ongoing annual cost
For a typical three-year-old gas vehicle, expect about $217.00 per year — driving an EV changes that to $347.00. Montana registration is purely age-based: $217 per year for vehicles 0–4 years old, $87 for 5–10, and $28 at 11+ — when permanent registration (one-time, ~$87.50 plus county option tax) becomes available and most owners take it. Luxury vehicles with MSRP over $150,000 add an $825 annual surcharge. EVs pay $130 and plug-in hybrids $70. No sales tax — hence all the exotic cars with Montana plates.
Inspection you'll need before Montana will register it
Montana does not require a safety or emissions inspection to register a car, so there's nothing extra to pass or pay for on that front.
Transfer your out-of-state driver's license
New residents also swap their license. In Montana a license runs $42.00 to transfer, then $42.00 to renew every 8 years, issued by the Montana MVD. A REAL ID-compliant license costs no extra. Do this before you register — most states want a local license or proof of residency on the registration application.
Before you budget
- County option tax (a percentage of depreciated MSRP, set per county) is not itemized here.
- Motorcycles register permanently (one-time ~$79 with safety fees).
Registering in Montana: common questions
How does Montana permanent registration work?
Once a vehicle is 11 years old you can register it permanently for a one-time fee (about $87.50 plus five times the county option tax) — no renewals for as long as you own it. It's why Montana LLC registration is popular for exotic and collector cars.
What is Montana's luxury vehicle fee?
Vehicles with an original MSRP over $150,000 that are 10 years old or newer pay an additional $825 per year on top of the age-based fee.
Estimate your exact Montana cost
Your vehicle
- Registration fee (age-based)$217.00
- Title fee$12.00
Estimate only — actual fees are set by your state and county at the time of registration. Data last reviewed 2026-07-16.
All figures computed from official fee schedules — sources: https://www.yellowstonecountymt.gov/Treasurer/MotorV/schedules.asp — last reviewed 2026-07-16.